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King James Version

1 Samuel 27:11

And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - David;   Falsehood;   Philistines;   Prisoners;   War;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Achish;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - David;   Philistia, philistines;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Achish;   Old Testament;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Samuel, Books of;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Achish;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Abimelech;   Alliance;   Zebah and Zalmunna;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Salvation;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
David did not let a man or woman live to be brought to Gath, for he said, “Or they will inform on us and say, ‘This is what David did.’” This was David’s custom during the whole time he stayed in the Philistine territory.
Hebrew Names Version
David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gat, saying, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David, and so has been his manner all the while he has lived in the country of the Pelishtim.
Lexham English Bible
And David did not leave alive a man or a woman to bring them back to Gath, thinking, "So that they will not report about us, saying, ‘David did thus and so.'" Thus was his practice all the days that he lived in the countryside of the Philistines.
English Standard Version
And David would leave neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, "lest they should tell about us and say, ‘So David has done.'" Such was his custom all the while he lived in the country of the Philistines.
New Century Version
David never brought a man or woman alive to Gath. He thought, "If we bring people alive, they may tell Achish, ‘This is what David really did.'" David did this all the time he lived in the Philistine land.
New English Translation
Neither man nor woman would David leave alive so as to bring them back to Gath. He was thinking, "This way they can't tell on us, saying, ‘This is what David did.'" Such was his practice the entire time that he lived in the country of the Philistines.
Amplified Bible
David did not leave a man or a woman alive to bring news to Gath, saying [to himself], "Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, 'This is what David has done, and this has been his practice all the time that he has lived in the country of the Philistines.'"
New American Standard Bible
And David did not leave a man or a woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, "Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, 'This is what David has done, and this has been his practice all the time that he has lived in the country of the Philistines.'"
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Dauid saued neither man nor woman aliue, to bring them to Gath, saying, Lest they should tel on vs, and say, So did Dauid, and so will be his maner all the while that he dwelleth in the countrey of the Philistims.
Legacy Standard Bible
And David did not leave a man or a woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, "Lest they tell about us, saying, ‘So has David done and so has been his custom all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.'"
Contemporary English Version
That's why David killed everyone in the towns he attacked. He thought, "If I let any of them live, they might come to Gath and tell what I've really been doing." David made these raids all the time he was in Philistia.
Complete Jewish Bible
The reason David spared neither men nor women to be brought to Gat is that he thought, "We don't want them telling on us, saying, ‘David did so-and-so.'" That's how he conducted his raids for as long as he lived in the country of the P'lishtim.
Darby Translation
And David left neither man nor woman alive, to bring [them] to Gath, for he said, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David. And such was his custom as long as he abode in the country of the Philistines.
Easy-to-Read Version
David never brought a man or woman alive to Gath. He thought, "If we let anyone live, they might tell Achish what I really did." David did this all the time he lived in the Philistine land.
George Lamsa Translation
And David spared neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, Thus David has done, and such was his custom all the while he dwelt in the land of the Philistines.
Good News Translation
David would kill everyone, men and women, so that no one could go back to Gath and report what he and his men had really done. This is what David did the whole time he lived in Philistia.
Literal Translation
David did not keep alive man or woman to bring news to Gath, saying, Lest they speak against us, saying, So David has done; And so has been his custom all the days that he has lived in the fields of the Philistines.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But Dauid let nether man ner woman come lyuynge vnto Geth, and thoughte: They mighte peradueture speake & reporte agaynst vs: thus dyd Dauid, and this was his maner as longe as he dwelt in ye londe of the Philistynes.
American Standard Version
And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David, and so hath been his manner all the while he hath dwelt in the country of the Philistines.
Bible in Basic English
Not one living man or woman did David ever take back with him to Gath, fearing that they might give an account of what had taken place, and say, This is what David did, and so has he been doing all the time while he has been living in the land of the Philistines.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Dauid saued neither man nor woman alyue to bring to Gath, saying: lest they should tell on vs, saying, so dyd Dauid, and so will be his maner all the whyle he dwelleth in the countrey of the Philistines.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And David left neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying: 'Lest they should tell on us, saying: So did David, and so hath been his manner all the while he hath dwelt in the country of the Philistines.'
King James Version (1611)
And Dauid saued neither man nor woman aliue, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on vs, saying, So did Dauid, and so will be his maner, all the while he dwelleth in the countrey of the Philistines.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I have not saved man or woman alive to bring them to Geth, saying, Lest they carry a report to Geth against us, saying, These things David does. And this was his manner all the days that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines.
English Revised Version
And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying: So did David, and so hath been his manner all the while he hath dwelt in the country of the Philistines.
Berean Standard Bible
David did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he said, "Otherwise they will report us, saying, 'This is what David did.'" And this was David's custom the whole time he lived in Philistine territory.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Dauid left not quik man and womman, nether brouyte `in to Geth, and se ide, Lest perauenture thei speken ayens vs. Dauid dide these thingis, and this was his doom, in alle daies in whiche he dwellide in the cuntrei of Filisteis.
Young's Literal Translation
Neither man nor woman doth David keep alive, to bring in [word] to Gath, saying, `Lest they declare [it] against us, saying, Thus hath David done, and thus [is] his custom all the days that he hath dwelt in the fields of the Philistines.'
Update Bible Version
And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying, Or else they would tell of us, saying, So did David, and so has been his manner all the while he has dwelt in the country of the Philistines.
Webster's Bible Translation
And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring [tidings] to Gath, saying, Lest they should inform against us, saying, So did David, and so [will be] his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines.
World English Bible
David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David, and so has been his manner all the while he has lived in the country of the Philistines.
New King James Version
David would save neither man nor woman alive, to bring news to Gath, saying, "Lest they should inform on us, saying, "Thus David did."' And thus was his behavior all the time he dwelt in the country of the Philistines.
New Living Translation
No one was left alive to come to Gath and tell where he had really been. This happened again and again while he was living among the Philistines.
New Life Bible
David did not leave a man or woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, "They might tell about us. They might say, ‘This is what David has done all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.'"
New Revised Standard
David left neither man nor woman alive to be brought back to Gath, thinking, "They might tell about us, and say, ‘David has done so and so.'" Such was his practice all the time he lived in the country of the Philistines.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, neither man nor woman, used David to save alive, to bring into Gath, for he said, Lest they tell of us, saying, - So, hath David done, and, such, his manner, all the days that he hath dwelt in the country of the Philistines.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And David saved neither man nor woman, neither brought he any of them to Geth, saying: Lest they should speak against us. So did David, and such was his proceeding all the days that he dwelt in the country of the Philistines.
Revised Standard Version
And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, thinking, "Lest they should tell about us, and say, 'So David has done.'" Such was his custom all the while he dwelt in the country of the Philistines.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
David did not leave a man or a woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, "Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, 'So has David done and so has been his practice all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.'"

Contextual Overview

8 And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. 9 And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish. 10 And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites. 11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines. 12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Lest: 1 Samuel 22:22, Proverbs 12:19, Proverbs 29:25

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 27:1 - into the land 1 Samuel 30:2 - slew not 2 Samuel 17:20 - They be gone Jeremiah 41:4 - after

Cross-References

Genesis 25:25
And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And David saved neither man nor woman alive to bring [tidings] to Gath,.... How David had fallen upon these people, and destroyed great numbers of them, and carried off their substance; which would have given great offence to Achish, and caused him to have driven him out of his country once more; though Abarbinel is of opinion that these Geshurites, c. were haters and enemies of Achish, and therefore were smitten and spoiled by David or otherwise it would have been such a piece of perfidy, rebellion, and ingratitude, as mast have made the name of David to stink, since it could not but be known sooner or later; but being the enemies of Achish, no notice was taken of it afterwards, nor inquiry made about it, nor complaint made of it, by any of their neighbours: nor does he suppose they were all cut off, and much less that this was done that it might not be told in Gath what destruction he had made; but that the sense is, that he did not carry the captives to Gath, to be disposed of there; for they would have told from whence they came, and so have contradicted what David said, and what he would have Achish understand, as if he had been out against and smote some of the cities of Judah, that he might place the greater confidence in him; which end would not have been answered, if he had brought any of them to Gath; and so the words may be read without the supplement we make, "spared neither man nor woman alive to bring to Gath": and so could tell no tales. Though Josephus expressly says k that David spared the men, and abstained from the slaughter of them, fearing lest they should declare to the king what he had done in plundering them:

saying, lest they should tell on us, saying, so did David: in such and such places, such numbers of people he destroyed, and such quantities of cattle and goods he carried off:

and so [will be] his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines: this is what may be expected will be done by him in one place or another, as long as he stays here; nothing will be heard of but desolation and destruction, in some part of the country of the Philistines or another; or among those that were tributaries to them; so that it was not safe that he should be allowed to abide in it.

k Antiqu. l. 6. c. 13. sect. 10.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Tidings - The word is not in the original. The sense rather is “to bring them to Gath,” as captives and slaves. The prisoners taken would naturally have been part of the spoil, but David dared not to bring them to Gath lest his deceit should be discovered. Obviously these tribes were allies of the Philistines.


 
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